How it all began
by TWDGamerKenny'sBro
Summary: This story follows Balto's parents from their childhood up to adulthood. I know this has probably been done before but I have many fresh ideas which I have been planning out for years. AniuxOC.
1. Chapter 1

In Nenana, Alaska, a raging blizzard struck the town. The thick white snow was heavy as it fell from the opened up dark grey sky, covering the landscape in a blanket of ice and snow. A small, homeless, husky pup walked through a narrow alleyway, shivering at the harsh cold wind. His eyes stung, the snow clung to his fur, soaking him to the skin. His legs trembled violently, his whole body weak as he collapsed by some sliver trash cans, lying rigidly in the deep snow.

A large black and white husky with a thick, shaggy, coat walked up to the small half dead grey pup and nudged his body with his wet nose. "Kid...?" The husky barked, only to receive no answer, just silence and the whirling of the wind around him.

The black husky picked the puppy up by the scruff of his neck and held him between gritted teeth before bounding down the alleyway in search of shelter.

* * *

The warmth was the first thing he felt. A blast of fiery heat warming his silky grey fur. He also felt a warm, soft, blanket wrapped around him. The puppy opened his sealed eyelids and looked up to see his saviour standing by a coal fire, watching the flames consume the fossil fuels, the bright orange glow illuminating his dark brown eyes. The large husky turned his head and stared down at the small puppy who met his gaze.

"I was starting to worry you weren't going to come round, kid" the dog told him, a doggy grin emerging on his face "How are you?" He asked concerned.

"Not so good." The puppy replied sadly, burying his face in his paws.

"Not surprised. You've been out cold for a while. Didn't think you'd make it, and yet here you are, living and breathing. What a relief"

"The weather isn't the problem" the puppy replied.

"Really? Last time I checked the weather almost killed you"

"There are worse things than death" the puppy said, sadness in his eyes, his voice thick with grief.

The large husky's smile fell "Like what?"

"Being alone" the puppy replied, sitting up with the blanket draped around his shoulders. "Everyone I know is gone"

"Everyone?" The large husky questioned the young pups words.

"My mum she- she died during childbirth..." The pup began to sniff softly "My brothers and sisters they- they were stillborn... I was the only one who wasn't dead.. My father he- I just lost him recently... He was alive 2 days ago- he- he-" the puppy began to wail sadly.

The large husky lifted one leg, reaching out to the grief stricken pup. The small dog ran up to the large husky and buried his muzzle into the dogs thick black fur, tears glistening his grey furry cheeks as the larger dog wrapped his raised leg around the puppies back, embracing him in a hug. "You don't have to say anymore" he told him gently.

"I'm sorry for everything you've been through. You're so young... And you've been through so much. It sounds like things haven't been easy for you. I'm sorry... Um..." His voice trailed off as he was unsure of the pups name.

"Dingo. My names Dingo" the pup informed him, his voice muffled.

"Hey, Dingo. I'm Jet" Jet told him. "Don't worry Dingo, everything's gonna be fine now, you're safe. I'll take care of you and give you the life your parents couldn't give you"

"R-really?" Dingo asked, lifting his head and meeting Jet's gaze, the pups midnight icy blue eyes full of hope.

"Of course" he replied kindly.

"Thank you, Jet" Dingo responded gratefully.

The cold storm outside the warm boiler room raged on around them.


	2. Chapter 2

**Meanwhile...** **On** **that** **same** **day **

The sky became more clear, and whatever snow was left from the once raging storm, now drifted calmly to the ground. The sliver moon emerged from behind a cloud, the bright glow causing the settled blanket of white to gleam.

A wolf pack were crowded together, each one curled up with their faces buried into their tails. One wolf lifted his head, his thick dark grey fur covered in flecks of snow. Shaking himself off he stood up and walked over to a small den, amongst the thickets and thorns.

Lying in the decomposing, dry, autumn leaves was his mate, and lying beside her were four pups, suckling on her milk. The new mother lifted her head, meeting her mate's gaze, her light grey fur shimmered sliver in the bright glow of the moon. A weak smile formed on her face as she lowered her head once again, glancing at the four pups, her eyes slowly falling upon the one with pure white fur, matching the snow outside.

The dark grey wolf padded over and nuzzled his mate, expressing his passion towards her. "Say hello to your father, pups" she whispered to her newly born wolf pups, each one whimpering softly.

"They're beautiful" he commented soothingly. "Just like their mother"

"And their father." The she wolf replied.

The dark grey wolf lowered his head nuzzled each one of his pups, welcoming them to the new world they had been born into.

"What do you want to call them? He asked.

"I'm not sure yet, you can name the three boys but I'd like to name the girl"

"Of course" he replied with a nod. "I shall think about it but do you have a name for her?"

"Yes... Aniu... Her name is Aniu"

"One of them will follow in my paw steps and one day become the leader."

"They're only a few hours old and already you are putting so much weight on their shoulders" she commented with a small chuckle.

"Until then we shall raise them right, they have a whole life ahead of them, lets enjoy it while we can"

The two wolves lowered their heads and admired their pups, while the wolf pack crowded round outside, yearning to see the new life that had sprung from within their mighty pack.

* * *

**You can notice that I added a little throw back to Balto 2 in this chapter as when Balto goes to see Jenna and see his pups he mentions that they are 'beautiful' and tells Jenna 'just like you' and she replied with 'and you'. I included that between the two mates only with the dialogue changed slightly. I hope you like it, brings back memories :) **


	3. Chapter 3

**Several** **months** **later...**

On the outskirts of town stood an old abounded house. The garden was overgrown with the path learning up to the front door almost completely blocked off. The front door hung loosely from it's hinges, the glass windows were shattered, sharp pieces still remaining on the window panes. The place had been left to fall into ruin.

A chilling draft rushed through the attic. Dingo lie on a small rug when a fresh water droplet fell from ceiling and splashed on his nose. Dingo snorted, lifting his head and shaking off the water and pieces of melted snow. He looked up at the gapping hole in the roof to see that the snow that had collected above him was beginning to melt. A smile emerged on Dingo's face as he stood up and bounded over to Jet, who laid by the attic window, snoring.

Dingo jumped on his adopted father's stomach, Jet let out a huff of breath at the weight that had been forced upon him "Get up, Jet! Get up! Get up!" Dingo told him excitedly.

"I'm awake, I'm awake!" Jet responded, rolling over and pushing Dingo off. "What is it?" He asked.

"Spring is almost here, Jet! It's almost here! The snows melting!" He cried cheerfully, looking up the the hole in the roof and then outside the attic window.

"Well, so it is" Jet murmured sleepily.

"Can I go outside?" Dingo asked, seeking Jet's permission.

"And do what exactly?"

"I want to go explore the woods on the edge of town" Dingo told him, staring at the line of trees on the distance.

"The forest? Why would you want to go there?"

"I've heard so many rumours. People say that it's like another world, something completely different to our own"

"Well, it's certainly different to _your_ world"

"I just want to explore, Jet, please let me go!" Dingo begged.

"I don't know, Dingo... The woods are dangerous, there are wild animals out there, like wolves and bears, they'll rip you to shreds!" Jet proclaimed.

"I'll be careful, I promise. I'm nearly one years old, I can take care of myself"

"Yeah... _Sure_" Jet replied sarcastically.

"I can!" Dingo exclaimed strongly.

Jet sighed "Okay... But you have to promise that you'll be back around midday"

"I'll need longer than that to explore"

"Ok, fine, sunset but no longer than that" Jet ordered.

"Sure thing, Jet" Dingo agreed turning and running towards the attic stairs "See you later!" he called up to him.

Jet rolled his eyes and padded over to the window, slumping down and closing his eyes, drifting back into sleep.

* * *

In the deepest parts of the forest there was a large clearing, the bright glow of the morning sun shinning through the gaps in the trees, reflecting off the fresh, green leaves causing them to shimmer.

The snow that clung to the trees branches began to melt, water dripping off and landing on the newly revealed earth which had once been covered in a sheet of ice and snow, now there was grass and flower buds sprouting from the damp, brown soil.

Aniu came bounding out of a dark cave with her father walking steadily behind "Are you ready for your first hunting trip?" He asked.

"Yes" she replied with a nod.

"Stay safe, Aniu, once you leave camp you'll be out in the wilderness on your own"

"I know, dad, I'll be find. I'll catch some prey worthy of a great feast"

"You know I don't expect much of your first catch but I'm sure it will be a good one. Just remember what I taught you and you'll be fine" he told her, leading her over to the edge of the camp. "Good luck, Aniu" he said, nuzzling her. Her mother came over and nuzzled her as well.

"You stay safe now" her mother told her gently.

"Thanks dad, thanks mum" she replied gratefully. "I'll be back soon, father!" She cried, running off into the trees.

Aniu's mother watched her go before sitting down beside her mate "You think she'll be ok?" Aniu's father asked her worryingly, concerned for his daughter's safety.

"She'll be fine"


	4. Chapter 4

Aniu walked through the woods, sniffing the air in search of prey. She crouched behind a bush and spied on a small rabbit hole, watching as a rabbit came out of the undergrowth and stood in the bright light of the morning sun, rubbing it's face with it's front paws in an attempt to clean itself. _It's_ _small_ _but..._ _It'll_ _impress_ _my_ _father._ She thought to herself.

Dingo paused from his exploration of the forest when he saw her standing by the bushes and ducked behind a tree, staring in disbelief "Wow..." He murmured.

Aniu readied herself before bouncing, leaping out of the bushes and towards the rabbit, only for the small creature to escape her grasp and run off into the trees. Aniu got to her feet and ran after the rabbit. Dingo followed from a distance.

The rabbit reached the frozen lake, running across the ice and towards the line of trees on the other side of the frozen water. Aniu paused, staring down at the ice, making a decision to not give up on her prey she ran after it, sprinting across the ice. She didn't get very far when she heard a loud creak come from the thin ice below her. Cracks began to form around her and before she could react the ice gave weigh underneath her, causing her to collide with the ice cold water.

The current was strong, pushing Aniu away from the hole in the ice where she had entered. She struggled, trying her best to swim to the surface but failed, instead she was pushed further away. He eyes stung, her lungs were bursting as she opened her mouth and the air she had been holding in escaped in tiny bubbles. Aniu could feel her consciousness slipping away as she gasped for oxygen, only to flood her lungs with more water.

Dingo stood on the edge of the lake, staring at the break in the ice before running towards it, gazing down at the water. He took in a deep breath before taking the plunge, diving below the surface of the ice. A shiver rushed up his spine as he looked around at the dark depths of the water. He blinked hard, his eyes stung as he noticed Aniu struggling and swam towards her.

Dingo gripped the scruff of her neck with his teeth and pulled her towards the break in the ice, only just managing to fight the strong current he swam upwards. With his upper body above the water, Dingo pushed Aniu onto the ice before scrambling on the slippery surface, pulling himself up.

He breathed heavily, shivering at the dampness of his fur before picking Aniu up in his mouth and with great difficulty, he dragged her over to the edge of the lake.

"Wake up" he whispered, nudging her "Breathe! Do something! Anything!"

Aniu began to cough violently, spluttering water. She slowly lifted her head and met his gaze...

* * *

**Hehehe. Cliffhanger ending. **


	5. Chapter 5

Aniu immediately got to her feet and growled, bearing her sharp teeth. Her claws came out as she snarled, her hackles raised.

Dingo backed away fearfully into the brambles and thorn bushes, the vegetation scraping against his fur. The two stared at one another, Aniu studied him closely, her growling began to stop and her fur, which had been standing on end, began to flatten out. "Hmph" she grunted as she sat. "You're not what I imagined" she commented.

Dingo retreated deeper into the bramble bush. "Hey, it's ok, I won't hurt you" she told him encouragingly.

Dingo looked around nervously before shyly stepping out of the bushes and sitting down in front of her "What do you mean 'not what I imagined'?" He questioned her words.

"When I was younger, my father told me that all dogs were blood thirsty creatures, trained to kill by their human masters" she told him.

"Well, I'm not like that. Not all of us are like that"

"I can see that" she replied with a chuckle "I'm sorry if I scared you, I just felt threatened. Can't be too careful, right?"

"Sure..." He murmured reluctantly in agreement, his voice trailed off.

"Oh, and thank you, for saving me. Without you, I would have surely drowned." She said gratefully.

"No problem" he responded kindly.

"Not everyone would have been as brave as you were. I mean, risking your own life to save a wolf? That took courage". She paused and glanced around at the scenery "What are you doing here on my packs territory, anyway?" She asked.

"I was just exploring, I was curious, this place is amazing"

Aniu smiled "Well, that's true. But you should really be careful. If anyone else but me had found you, they would have killed you"

"That's twice I've been warned about that today" Dingo joked.

"What's your name?" Aniu asked curiously.

"It's Dingo."

"I'm Aniu" she stated.

The two sat in silence. Dingo glanced around, staring at the frozen lake and then back at Aniu "What are you doing out here on your own? Shouldn't you be with your pack?"

"I'm on my first hunting trip, I was trying to catch a rabbit but... it didn't end well" she muttered, staring back at the ice.

"A rabbit? Surely you could catch something bigger than that"

"Like what?" Aniu questioned.

"... A deer"

"A deer?! I can't pin down a deer"

"What about a fawn then, it's small and I think you could catch that"

"You really think so?" Aniu asked fondly.

"Yeah, I could help you" Dingo replied while rising.

"What? No, you can't hunt, you're a dog"

"Who said I had to hunt? Can I just... Tag along? You're the only one who knows these woods better than I do, if I ask anyone else they'll bite my head off... Literally"

Aniu blinked hard before shrugging her shoulders "Sure, why not?" She responded with a smile.


	6. Chapter 6

Aniu was crouched down, hidden amongst the long grass. Dingo was standing up straight, he hadn't really figured out the whole 'stealth' thing yet. The two stood at the edge of the trees, staring out at the small group of deer.

"Hide" she hissed. Dingo was a little startled by her command but nevertheless he crouched down beside her. They studied the group, Aniu picked out a young fawn, watching as the little deer pranced around, straying from it's mother "This is perfect" she murmured.

Aniu moved out into the open, making her way towards the group of deer. Dingo went to follow when she stopped him "Wait here" she somewhat ordered.

Dingo said nothing, instead he nodded slowly and backed away into the shadows of the trees. Aniu bounded towards a patch of long grass and hid amongst the green blades. Her white fur caused her to stand out quite dramatically, easily visible. _She's_ _going_ _to_ _get_ _spotted!_ Dingo thought to himself. Looking around frantically he noticed a patch of snow which had not melted, it was also close to the baby deer.

"Over there!" He called out to her.

Aniu followed his gaze and caught sight of the patch of snow. She ran towards it, diving into the blanket of white and blending into her background much more easily. The young fawn didn't notice her, instead it came closer. Aniu's bright amber eyes glowed as she launched herself towards the fawn, forcing it to the ground.

The small deer began to struggle, crying out in fear as Aniu pinned it down and sunk her teeth into it's neck. Within seconds the deer stopped struggling and finally lied still.

Blood trickled across the soil, the crimson red liquid soaking her pure white fur as she picked it up and carried it over to Dingo and dropped it in front of him "I did it!" She cried triumphantly.

Dingo stared longingly down at the fawn, his eyes soften when he saw the dead creature "It was so helpless..." He murmured sadly.

"Is something wrong?" She asked.

"It's just... It was so young, it had a whole life ahead of it and yet... You killed it"

"This is how nature works, we are the predators and these simple creatures are our prey. Nature is a cruel thing but we accept it. But I suppose you wouldn't understand that, maybe you're not ready to experience the world of the wolf"

"It reminded me of myself, that's all" he told her.

"What do you mean?" Aniu asked him.

"When I was a pup I lost my entire family. I was so alone and helpless and... I thought- I thought I was going to die too." He said, sadness in his eyes "Maybe that's what I wanted. I wish the ground would just swallow me up at any moment. But then I met Jet, my adopted father, and he helped me through it, he helped me realise that I had a whole life ahead of me. I can never move on from my parents but I can live on, for them... But that fawn never got that chance"

Aniu stared sadly and placed her paws on his "I'm sorry, I- I didn't know. I suppose I have it easy, I have a mother and a father and three brothers." She stated, sympathising with him. "I'm sorry... Dingo"

"It's- it's okay" he responded.

Aniu leaned forwards and pressed her nose on his cheek, like how a human would kiss another. Dingo felt a tingling situation rush through him, in that moment he felt like he was lighter than air, like he was on top of the world.

"Wow..." He murmured.

A smile emerged on Aniu's muzzle "Come on, I'll escort you to the edge of the forest" she said, leading him off. "When do you want to meet up tomorrow?" She asked.

"Wh- what?"

"I'll say it again; when do you want to meet up tomorrow?"

"You mean, you want to see me again?" He asked.

"Of course" she responded.

Dingo smiled "Well how about midday, at the edge of the woods?" He suggested.

"Sure, I'll see you then" she agreed.


	7. Chapter 7

Dingo walked home in a daze, he was completely love struck. He stumbled through the front door looking very disorientated. Jet gave him a puzzled look when he came up to the attic. "Are you okay, Dingo?" He asked concernedly.

"Yeah..." Dingo replied with a small sigh as he stared off into space.

Jet padded up to him and waved his paw in front of Dingo's face only to not receive a reaction. "Well... I got dinner" Jet told him.

The mention of food snapped Dingo back to reality "What did you get today?" He asked.

"Some meat"

"Did you beg, borrow or steal?" He questioned.

"I got it from the butchers. Don't worry, they won't miss it"

Dingo stared down at the meat, his stomach churn as Jet began to chop on his share of the food. Jet lifted his head and raised an eyebrow when he saw how uncomfortable Dingo looked "Are you sure you're okay, Dingo?" He asked.

"I'm fine, honest" he responded.

"You've been acting weird ever since you came back from the woods. Did something happen out there? Is there something you're not telling me?"

"Well..." Dingo began, his voice trailing off "I met someone today" he told him.

"Really? Who?"

"A... Girl"

Jet let out a small chuckle "Oh, I see what's going on here. You like her, huh?"

"Yeah, she's... She's amazing" Dingo replied, his thoughts returned to Aniu, her glistening white fur and glowing amber eyes. She was truly beautiful.

"You never made it to the woods, did you? You've been hanging out with this 'girl' all day"

"Oh, no, I met her in the woods"

Jet's eyes darkened as realisation began to sink in "You met her, in the woods? Why would any dog, apart from you of course, to into the woods alone?"

"She wasn't a dog..." Dingo murmured nervously.

"She wasn't? What was she?" Jet asked, a growl erupting from his throat.

"She- uh"

"Tell me, Dingo!" Jet demanded.

"She was a wolf!" Dingo cried.

Jet took a step back and shook his head in disbelief. He turned away and walked up to a cracked mirror, his reflection distorted. His eyes soften as he stared at the reflection of Dingo behind him, the young husky's bright blue eyes staring fearfully, bracing himself for a scolding. "Oh Dingo" Jet breathed disappointedly "What were you thinking? Interacting with a wolf? It's dangerous, you risked your life! Anything could have happened!"

"She needed help! She was stuck under the ice and she was drowning so I went to help her, I saved her. At first, she was scared of me, and I was scared of her, but once we realised that we weren't a danger to each other, we became friends, and now she wants to see me again, tomorrow in fact"

"You are not going back to those woods, you hear me!"

"Jet, please, you don't understand! She's my friend, she won't hurt me!"

"How do you know that?! She's a wolf, Dingo, they're unpredictable!" Jet yelled.

"Jet, just give me another chance, please, if you listen to me you'll understand"

"Will I?!"

"Just calm down, Jet. Please" Dingo pleaded.

Jet sighed and sat down, Dingo also sat across from him "I'm sorry." Jet apologised "I just want to protect you Dingo, that's all. It's what any father would do, even though I'm not your real one, I'm just trying my best to keep you safe."

"I know, you've been a good dad to me, but you have to trust me on this one. Aniu is nice, she's my friend, she won't hurt me, I'm sure of that."

"How sure?" Jet questioned.

"Well, I'm still here, aren't I?"

"I suppose..." Jet murmured. "Alright, you can go back to the woods and see this 'Aniu'-"

"Thank you, Jet" Dingo said gratefully while interrupting him.

"-But you have to promise to be careful. If anything bad happens, you come straight home, okay?"

"Okay" Dingo agreed with a nod.

A smile formed on Jet's muzzle as he reached out to Dingo, the young husky ran up to him and embraced him in a hug.

_Everything_ _will_ _be_ _fine, __Jet_. _I_ _promise._

* * *

**Sorry about the updates taking so long, especially when they're short, you must be thinking "Why is it taking so long when the updates are so short? You used to update once a day" **

**I know I used to, hopefully I'll get back to doing that soon, my mind has just been on other things, that's all. Sorry. **

**Anyway, a father-son relationship going on between Jet and Dingo in this chapter, I hope you enjoyed it. See you at the next update.**


	8. Chapter 8

It was early morning when Dingo left the house. Jet was still fast asleep and he didn't really want to disturb him, so he left him be.

The sun was rising on the horizon, hidden behind the line of trees, the bright golden glow causing their trunks to blacken, their branches reaching for the sky, with fresh leaf buds beginning to grow. As he approached the woods he noticed a group of startled birds fly out of the trees and swooping off into the light of the new day.

And there she was. Aniu, standing at the edge of the trees, waiting for him, her pure white fur glistening in the golden glow of the morning sun. "Hello, Dingo" she greeted as he joined her.

"Morning" he responded with a yawn, Aniu chuckled.

"So, where would you like to spend the day?" She asked him.

"I don't know, somewhere exciting"

"I think I've found just the place, follow me" she told him, leading him into the woods.

"So, what did your dad think to the fawn you caught yesterday?" He asked.

"He was impressed and very proud" Aniu responded cheerfully.

"That's good to hear"

"And it was all thanks to you. I never would have caught that fawn if you weren't there"

"It was nothing really. You were the one who did all the work"

"That's true" Aniu said smugly with a smirk. "Ok, we're here" she stated, pushing through some thick bushes and into a large clearing. Sunlight was shining down through the gaps in the branches causing the sweet green grass to glisten. Bright, colourful butterflies fluttered past them and nestled down on the fresh, blooming flowers.

"Wow..." Dingo murmured "It's beautiful"

"I know, right?" Aniu agreed, while sitting down and bathing in the sunlight. She gave him a small smile and patted the grass next to her with her paw, gesturing for him to come over. Dingo returned the smile and sat down beside her.

"Come to think it, Aniu, I don't know much about you." Dingo commented.

"No, I suppose you don't. But I'll happily tell you my life story, although it's not very interesting" she replied. "Well... I lived with my mother, my father and my four brothers. My father is the leader of our pack and maybe one day I'll be able to follow in his paw steps"

"That wasn't very long" Dingo commented teasingly.

"Yeah, well, I haven't lived very long, have I? I'm still a pup and so are you" she responded. Aniu paused before glancing around nervously "Can I... Tell you something?" She asked.

"Sure, what's on your mind?"

"Just... Promise you won't freak out, okay?"

"Why would I do that?" Dingo inquired.

"Well..." She began "It's probably best if I just show you". Aniu drew nearer to him and placed her paws on his "Just try to relax" she told him.

Aniu closed her eyes for a brief moment and when she opened them they had turned bright yellow. Dingo saw his whole life flash before his very eyes, every memory, every thought, every breath, every heartbeat he felt in a single moment. It was... Terrifying. Dingo could feel his mind burning, his eyes began to sting and water, he wasn't quite sure if they were tears or not.

Dingo quickly pulled away and stumbled backwards "Wha- what was that?!" He cried.

"I saw everything..." Aniu murmured distantly, her glowing yellow eyes had now returned to normal.

"Aniu- you're scaring me. What- what just happened?"

"I looked into your mind. I saw your thoughts, your memories, it was almost like... I was there, like I was the one who experienced it."

"You're not making sense!"

"Dingo listen to me. You don't need to be afraid."

"I'm not afraid... Just... Confused" Dingo responded.

"When I was born, I was 'gifted' with special powers allowing me to do... Stuff like that. I'm not completely sure about what I'm capable of to be honest"

"I saw my past... I saw my entire life, I experienced everything all in one go, do you know how that felt?! It was like losing my entire family all over again!" Dingo exclaimed, he could feel tears glistening his cheeks now.

"And I experienced it too. Look, Dingo, I'm sorry that I put you through that, I really am." She told him apolitically.

"It's ok..."

"No, it's really not"

"Does anyone else know?" He asked.

"No, not even my family. You're the only one that knows, the only one I can confine in." Aniu told him.

"Surely you should tell your parents, maybe they could help you with your 'gift' and help you understand" Dingo suggested.

"You think so?" Aniu asked.

"Yeah, I do. Whenever I have a problem, I always talk to Jet and he helps me, I'm sure your parents can do the same"

"Yeah... Jet. I saw him in your memories too, apparently you 'like' me"

Dingo felt his cheeks go warm as turned his head away in embarrassment "Um- yeah, well- I- I do like you- and - you're- well-" he stuttered.

Aniu laughed "It's ok, Dingo, I get it"

"You- you do?"

"Yeah. You're a really good friend" she told him kindly.

That wasn't exactly what Dingo had in mind but he'd take it "Thanks" he replied gratefully. The two sat in silence for a brief moment "I should probably go" Dingo said, while standing up.

"Go? But it's still early"

"I haven't had breakfast yet. Plus, Jet will be worried when he wakes up and finds that I'm missing. Look, I'll make it up to you later. Just meet me tonight, I have something special planned."

"Really, what?" She asked him.

"I can't tell you that, it's a surprise." He responded whilst turning and moving towards the edge of the clearing "See you later"

"Bye" Aniu responded simply with a swish of her tail as Dingo ran off into the shadows of the trees.

* * *

**I bet you all thought I forgot about this fan fic, huh?**


	9. Chapter 9

There was not much to do after Dingo left so suddenly. Aniu spent most of the day with her 3 brothers, burning off some energy since she was very excited for whatever surprise Dingo had planned. She just hoped that she hadn't scared him too much with her gift.

After what happened earlier, she had a knot in her stomach, making her feel sick. Looking back on her decision, maybe there could have been a better way to show her new found friend her powers. Hopefully, it hadn't ruined their friendship.

When night fell, Aniu was positively bursting with excitement, she was struggling to conceal after hiding it all day. She managed to avoid her mother and the inevitable 'bedtime' and slipped away shortly after her father had rounded up her brothers.

It was quite chilly that night. Spring was still on it's way, but the harsh winter winds still remained. The sky was quite dark, blacked by clouds, making Aniu a little paranoid since a storm could be on it's way.

When she reached the edge of the woods and stood on the hillside, the first thing she noticed was that the town looked magnificent. Every building was lit up with a bright orange glow, lighting up the entire place like a beacon.

The wind whirled around her, sending a shudder up her spine and causing her white fur to flap. It took a few mere moments before Aniu's body to adjust to the cold and as time passed on she became anxious.

Was Dingo even coming? Maybe she had let her childish immaturities get the better of her, maybe she was too quick to judge him and accept his friendship. Had she made the right decision?

When she saw the dark figure of a familiar looking shape coming up the hillside at a steady pace, all of her worries were washed away. Aniu squinted and took a step forward, checking that the shadowy figure approaching her was indeed Dingo.

"Ouch!" She yelped, quickly lifting her paw after standing on something sharp. Turning her paw over, she checked her rough pad, only to find that there was no cut nor any blood. She let out a small sigh of relief and stared hard at the ground, trying to make out the sharp object she had stood on.

When she couldn't quite see what it was, she turned her attention back to Dingo. The young dog seemed to be walking backwards. As he got closer, she noticed that he was dragging something along with him which was emitting a bright glow, just like the lights in the town below them.

"Hi" he greeted through gritted teeth as he placed down the unknown object. Dingo spat, and hung his tongue out, letting out a small pant as he sat there, his chest heaving. Holding onto that metal handle all the way from the house had left an awful metallic taste in his mouth. Not to mention it was heavy and had put a lot strain on his neck, as well as draining most of his energy.

Aniu walked up to the object and stared at what was within the glass casing. Examining it closer, she noticed that there was a flame burning bright on the inside. "What is it?" She asked.

"It's a lantern. People use it to light up dark places" Dingo replied, while walking towards the object on the ground, the same object that Aniu had hurt herself on moments earlier. Now that the lantern was there, a bundle was revealed, a piece of light blue fabric wrapped up and containing something.

"Darn it" Dingo muttered crossly, noticing that there was a rip in the fabric "All well, it's only a small rip" he murmured as he carefully unfolded the bundle to reveal several sharp objects, with each one being a different colour.

"What are those?" She asked curiously.

"Broken glass bottles. Humans use them to hold liquid but not these ones, since they're broken"

Aniu raised an eyebrow. How could glass bottles and a lantern be exiting? She was starting reconsider her earlier hyper mood. But she still had some faith in Dingo and continued to watch him intrigued.

Dingo took hold of the lantern once again and moved it behind the glass bottles "The sun" he murmured.

"A lantern" Aniu corrected him. Dingo ignored her comment and adjusted the glass bottles position.

"And to the North" he said, moving away from the lantern light and allowing it to flood through the glass bottles. The light reflected from the bottles was in many bright, vibrant colours, which stretched across the valley and towards the village.

"Wow" Aniu gasped in amazement "A night rainbow!" She cried.

Dingo grimaced "Actually, it's suppose to be the Northern Lights"

"Oh." Aniu responded weakly "I've never seen the Northern Lights before, but I've heard about them"

"Well, now you have your own" Dingo told her with a smile.

The two sat down side by side and gazed at the artificial Northern Lights as they danced and swayed on the hillside. Aniu leaned against Dingo, rubbing her cheek against his neck. If Dingo didn't have fur covering his own cheeks then they would have surely flushed red after the sudden affection from Aniu.

"They're beautiful" Aniu commented, truly lost in her observations.

"Yeah..." Dingo murmured, his gaze fixed on Aniu. She was everything he could have dreamed of. She wasn't just beautiful on the outside but she was also beautiful on the inside. Wise, understanding, sympathetic, kind, brave... There were so many words could be used to describe her.

And that is why he admired her so much. He was too busy lost in thought that he didn't notice that she was speaking to him until she managed to snap him back to reality.

"Dingo? Can you hear me?"

"Yes, of course"

"I lost you there for a second" Aniu murmured cheekily "Anyway, I was saying, I think this is better than the real thing"

"But you haven't even seen it!" Dingo exclaimed.

"Even if I do, I'll know this one is better"

"Why's that?" He asked.

"Because you made it"

Dingo's heart fluttered.

* * *

**I'm not very could at keeping to my word. Sorry it took so long, I have a lot of stories in progress and I get distracted easily with new ideas.**

**Anyway, that's my lame excuse out of the way, hope you enjoyed the chapter. Kind of a throw back to Balto one in it. **


	10. Chapter 10

The last of the embers in the lantern had been extinguished, and the artificial Northern Lights had long since faded. Dingo and Aniu had curled up together last night and fell asleep while watching them.

Dingo was still fast asleep while Aniu had been wide awake for several hours. She had spent most of that time exploring and eventually decided to wake Dingo up since he showed no signs of stirring.

"Rise and shine, Dingo" she said, gently nudging him.

Dingo yawned and sat up "Morning" he murmured sleepily.

"Hey sleepy head, come on, I want to show you something" she said, and with a swish of her tail she led him off into the woods.

They didn't have to walk very far before they came across Aniu's surprise. It was a tree. Dingo wasn't sure if it was dead or dying. It's bark was dull and it's branches were naked. There was a hole at the base of its trunk, along with a large gapping hole at the top of the tree. However, there was some green moss growing on the trunk, giving the scene a breath of life.

"I call it the howling tree" she told him. "Watch this". Aniu walked up to the base of the tree and pressed her front paws on the bark, so that she could stand on her back legs supported. Aniu took in a deep breath and howled into the tree.

The howl erupted from the hole in the top of the tree and echoed through the forest.

"That's amazing." Dingo commented.

"Go on, you have a try" Aniu suggested, pushing herself off the tree and allowing Dingo to stand on his back legs and support himself on the trunk, copying what she had done.

Dingo stood there in silence, staring blankly into hole. A silence washed over the two of them before Dingo finally broke it "I don't think I can" he said, pushing himself off the tree and standing on all fours.

"Of course you can." Aniu said encouragingly. "Dogs and wolves are related. We have the same ancestors. Just because humans have breed you over time doesn't mean you lost your howl. It may not be the same as mine, but I'm sure you have one"

"I'll show you how". Aniu sat down beside the tree and Dingo sat directly in front of her. Aniu threw back her head and let out a mighty howl. It lasted for some time before she lowered her head and stopped "See? It's easy. Now you try" she told him.

Dingo gulped, took in a deep breath, and threw back his head. His howl was strained, he felt like he would choke up at any moment. His howl didn't sound much like a howl, more like a screech. Aniu had to use all her strength to keep herself from covering her ears.

Dingo's howl was cut short as he ran out of breath.

"That was... A good start" Aniu murmured, slightly lost for words.

"It was terrible." Dingo replied "I told you I couldn't do it"

Aniu edged forwards and placed her paw on Dingo's neck, roughly around his vocal cords "The problem is, that you shouldn't howl- lets call it's singing, you shouldn't sing from here, but you should sing from the heart" she said, running her paw down his chest and placing it on his heart.

"Try again, you can do it"

Dingo nodded, and threw back his head once again and howled. It was much better this time, it wasn't like Aniu's but that was probably because each one of them had a unique howl. Either that or it was because he was a dog and she was a wolf.

"That's much better" Aniu told him sweetly. "I think you're ready for the howling tree" she said, leading him over to it once again.

Dingo pressed his paws against the trunk, feeling a lot more confident, he howled into the tree. The howl echo through the woods, startling a group of birds nestled in a nearby tree, causing them to take flight.

"That was amazing, Dingo. Probably as good as mine"

"Aniu?" A voice called out from nearby.

Aniu gasped "That's my father, quick, hide"

Dingo looked around frantically and gasped in surprise when Aniu pushed him into the hole at the base of the tree. After being slightly winded, he recovered and hid himself amongst the shadows inside the hollow tree.

"Ah, there you are" Aniu's father said relieved as he approached. "Me and your mother were worried about you when you disappeared last night" he told her as he nuzzled her neck. "Where on earth were you?"

"I-" Aniu began, glancing at the howling tree and then back at her father "I wanted to sleep alone, out understand stars. My brothers keep me awake if I sleep at camp"

"Well, don't run off again without mine or your mothers permission. Understand?"

"Yes, father"

"I must admit, you exploring your territory and examining your surroundings at such a young age is rather impressive, since you are preparing yourself for later in life. But I must remind you that you are apart of the pack, they rely on you as much as you rely on them, each one of us plays a vital role." He informed her.

"You'll learn more once summer arrives"

Aniu nodded slowly, taking in his wise words. The thought of Dingo came into her mind and glanced at the howling tree nervously. Her father followed her gaze and stared at the tree suspiciously. "What are you doing out here, anyway? I heard howling"

"I was howling in this tree. It makes my howl louder than it is"

"Hmph" her father grunted and walked up to the tree, taking a brief look inside. Dingo held his breath and lied completely still.

Aniu's father's nose twitched "Can you smell something? He asked.

"Smell what?" Aniu questioned, playing dumb.

"Smells like a dog" her dad commented.

"Well, humans come through here every so often, sometimes with a dog and dogs like to wee on stuff, to make their mark."

"The howling sounded like two separate wolves"

"No, it was just me honest" Aniu said, lying through gritted teeth.

Her father glanced around at the scenery before his eyes fell upon Aniu, his daughter smiled at him warmly "I guess my ears were playing tricks on me. That's the problem with having really good senses" he joked.

Aniu breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'll meet you back at camp, alright, Aniu? Don't take too long"

"I won't"

"Good" her father said and with those final words he walked through trees, his dark grey coat shimmering in the sunlight as he melted into the background, disappearing out of sight.

Once she was sure he was out of earshot, Aniu beckoned for him to come out. Dingo scrambled out of the hole, digging his claws into the trunk of the tree and scratching the bark as he made his way out.

"That was close" he murmured.

"Yeah, too close. We'll have to be more careful in future."

"Agreed" Dingo said with a nod.

Aniu swished her tail and walked along a forest trail, while Dingo followed along side. "So, lets make plans, if we want to keep meeting up, when and where?"

"We meet at the edge of the woods everyday from now on. When doesn't really matter to me, it just depends what time you can get away and what time I can get away" Dingo suggested.

"I'll try to meet you everyday but I can't make any promises. So, will I be seeing you later today or...?"

"I'll probably have to stay home and make up for disappearing last night and all this morning. It's probably what Jet wants since he worries"

"All parents worry, they're just looking out for you" Aniu told him wisely.

"Jet still thinks that you're going to try and hurt me" Dingo said with a small chuckle.

"But that's not true, I would never do something like that. But I don't blame him, if only I could meet him and set things straight" she murmured sadly.

"Jet wouldn't come into the woods, and you can't come into the town, so that probably won't happen. I guess he'll just have to accept it eventually"

"I wish dogs and wolves could just get along. We we're related once, we had the same ancestors, doesn't that matter anymore?" Aniu questioned.

"I don't know, Aniu. I really don't"

They were almost at the edge of the woods now "So, do you want me to help you carry that stuff back to town?" Aniu asked.

"No, I'm good, you should get back to camp"

"Okay, well... Thanks Dingo, for everything, I really enjoyed last night and spending time with you"

"You're welcome" Dingo replied warmly, giving her a bright, beaming smile, which Aniu returned. Why could more dogs be like Dingo? Aniu wondered if Dingo thought the same thing about her.

Why couldn't more wolves be like Aniu?

* * *

Several months past by and Aniu and Dingo's friendship grew. Dingo felt that their relationship had flourished into something more, while Aniu's feelings were unclear.

Spring finally arrived and the snow melted. Aniu shed her winter coat so that her white fur was not as thick. Dingo and Aniu continued to meet up everyday and would explore the forest together, even the furthest corners of the pack's territory.

Meanwhile, Jet was still rather weary of Dingo's relationship with the 'wolf girl' but eventually accepted it and passed it off as a phase, thinking that he'd get over it once he matured.

Dingo was approaching his 1st birthday in autumn while Aniu would be one years old by the winter season. Even though they were still quite young, the two had grown considerably.

Spring went by like breeze and summer came shortly after and so did the heat.

One hot summers day, Dingo and Aniu were resting down by a stream. Dingo was lying by the bank, his mouth wide open with his tongue hanging out the side as he panted heavily. He also had one leg hanging over the edge of the bank, allowing the water to soak his paw.

Aniu was some distances away from the stream, leaning back against a tree. She didn't have her tongue out like Dingo but she did let out a small pant every so often. Her eyes fluttered as she leaned her head back.

Sunlight was shining through gaps in the branches, dazzling her gaze. She didn't want to move since she was tired and hot so she ignored it and allowed her eyes to close. Even in darkness she could still see some of the light and she could feel the suns heat on her closed eyelids.

And then everything went completely dark. She opened one eye to see Dingo standing there, casting a shadow over her, his tongue hanging out while saliva dripped from the corners of his mouth.

"Want to go for a swim?" He asked, his voice slightly muffled by his tongue.

"The stream is too shallow to swim" Aniu replied, closing her eyes once again.

"We can play in the water, then"

"You to on without me"

Dingo leaned forwards and whispered in her ear "I'll race you"

A small smile emerged on Aniu's face as she opened her eyes and stared directly at him. "You're on"

Dingo's open mouth formed into a large doggy grin. The two stood side by side and prepared themselves for the race to the stream.

"On three" Dingo told her. "Three!" He yelled and bounded on ahead. Aniu was unprepared since he had assumed that he would count from one to three. Words formed in her mind and then spilled out of her mouth.

"Cheater!" She exclaimed, charging after him. It didn't take long for her to catch up, in fact she reached the stream first and leapt into the water. Dingo followed shortly after, causing a huge splash.

"I win!" She cried triumphantly, throwing her front paws in the air and splashing water.

"No fair" Dingo grumbled.

"That's rich, coming from a cheater. I mean, you had a head start and I still won. You're just a sore loser" she said, teasingly but somewhat mocking him as well.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah"

Dingo splashed Aniu. Aniu narrowed her eyes and sucked some of the water up into her mouth until her cheeks were swollen. She spat water in Dingo's face. Dingo growled and charged after her, splashing her with water.

They ran around the stream splashing each other when Aniu jumped on Dingo's back. They rolled over and over until Aniu managed to pin him down. "Got you!" She cried, throwing back her head and letting out a triumphant howl.

"Surrender!" She ordered, pressing her paw on Dingo's throat, but there wasn't much weight to choke him.

"Alright" Dingo said, his voice muffled by Aniu's paw.

Aniu slumped down into a sitting position. Her fur was soaked to the skin, with every part of her white coat dripping with water. She felt much cooler now and somewhat refreshed. She watched Dingo lie on his back, kicking his legs in the air as he struggled to roll over. Aniu laughed at him as he finally managed to get onto his front and sit up.

The two stared at each other and laughed at how wet they were.

"Aniu!" A voice called out from the trees.

"That's my brother." Aniu muttered. "You know the drill" she said, turning to look at Dingo.

"Find a hiding place as soon as possible, got it" Dingo replied, diving into the reeds at the sides of the bank.

Aniu made sure Dingo was hidden before calling out "I'm here!"

A light grey wolf, around Aniu's height or slightly taller emerged from the trees and walked up to the stream.

"Storm, what is it?" She asked.

"Father is about to address the pack about something. It's an important speech, and he doesn't want you to miss it. So you have to be there, he doesn't want to have to fill you in afterwards, _again_"

"Alright, I'll be there"

"He asked me to escort you back to camp"

"Escort me? Don't you trust me, Storm?" She asked.

"Of course, but father really wants you to be there so he sent me to bring you back to camp immediately, so I suggest you come with me now"

"I can make my way back to camp on my own, you go on ahead and I catch up to you, promise."

"That's what you said the last time" Storm groaned. Her brother sighed "Well, you better come quickly, if you miss it then I'll end up taking the blame"

"I won't let you down"

Storm nodded and turned to leave before turning back to Aniu "Can I tell you something?"

"Sure, go ahead" she replied with a brief nod.

"This isn't what father said I think it's true. I think dad's worried about you, you know"

"Why would he be?"

"Because you're not involved with the pack, you're hardly ever with us, instead you're out here on your own. The pack-"

"The pack rely's on me as much as I rely on them, I've heard it all before" Aniu interrupted.

"What I'm saying is, you need to start living up to your responsibilities. You're nearly one years old, you need to start acting like you're one of us, not like you're separate from the pack. You can't afford to keep missing important speeches like this, father and the rest of the pack have all noticed that you like to slip away and be alone, you act like a lone wolf all the time. If you want father and the rest of the back to take you seriously once you reach adulthood you need to stop with all this running off business. The pack, all of us, we're a team, and there is no I in team, we all have to work together. A pack can do a lot more than one wolf can do alone. Please, just consider what I'm saying"

Aniu nodded slowly "I understand, I'll do better"

Storm smiled "You're such a good listener." He commented "Look, exploring your surroundings is fine, but you can't do it on a day to day basis, you're not a pup anymore. I'm not having a go at you, I'm just trying to help you as best I can"

"I know"

Storm glanced around nervously "We should head back to camp"

"I'll be right there"

"Don't take too long" Storm told her and then they parted ways.

"I can't believe you didn't tune out half way through that" Dingo commented once Storm was gone. Aniu turned around to see Dingo sitting in the water at the edge of the bank.

"He's my brother and he's giving me good advice, of course I listened."

"I'm glad I'm not you, no offence"

"None taken"

"It's just, I can never live up to these 'responsibilities', I like to have fun and be free, I don't want to be restricted by rules my whole life"

"It's tough but I'm grateful for everything my pack has done for me over the years. I just want to return the favour in some way" Aniu told him.

"That speech sounds important" Dingo muttered.

"Yeah, I should go see what it's about". Aniu glanced up to see that the sun was in the middle of the sky, seemingly proving that it was midday "I'll come find you once it's over"

"See you then"

Aniu turned and bounded off into the trees. Dingo watched her go.

Aniu was missing for the rest of the day. Dingo stayed in the woods since he knew she would keep her word and return as soon as she could. He played in the stream for a while before making his way to the edge of the woods and laid in the shade of the trees.

By nightfall, the temperature had dropped ad it was much cooler. Not long after the sun went down, Aniu arrived. She seemed deeply saddened but also breathless. She must have ran the whole way there.

"Sorry I took so long, I couldn't get away" she apologised.

"Don't worry, you're here now" Dingo replied "So, what was your dad's speech about?" He asked.

Aniu choked up a sob, which caused Dingo's heart to sink. Something was wrong. "I- I'm leaving" she stuttered.

"What?" Dingo breathed in disbelief. "Why, when are you going, when are you coming back?" So many questions were blurted out all at once.

"Just let me explain" Aniu told him calmly. "Around the end of spring time and the beginning of summer my pack travels to the other side of the North Mountain, where older members on the pack teach new members, such as me and my brothers and any other pups who were born in Autumn, Winter or Spring time, to train them and prepare them for adulthood"

"When are you coming back?" Dingo asked, panic in his eyes. What if her answer was 'I'm never coming back' that was surely break his heart.

"Next spring" Aniu informed him. Her eyes were clouded and she was trying to fight tears.

"Next spring?! But that's a whole year away!" He exclaimed. He could feel himself tearing up too. They'd never been apart before.

"I know" Aniu croaked, a sob caught in her throat. "If I could stay then I would, but I can't. I can't break away from tradition. I'm sorry Dingo"

Dingo didn't know what to say. His eyes were stinging and he could himself falling apart right in front of Aniu. He had to stay strong, for her sake, but he couldn't.

"I- I don't want to lose you Aniu, you're the only friend I've got!"

"It won't be forever" Aniu told him gently.

"It'll feel like it though" Dingo cried, the sob caught in his throat was hard to contain.

"I'm leaving tomorrow morning. I won't be able to see you then so..." Her voice trailed off.

"This is our last meeting" Dingo finished her sentence for her.

Aniu nodded silently before moving towards Dingo and embracing him. She wrapped one leg around his back and nuzzled the back of his neck. The sudden burst of affection only lasted for a brief moment as she slowly pulled away.

"Don't forget me" she whispered softly.

"Of course I won't, I'll think of you every day!"

"I'll be back before you know it" she insisted "I promise" she said, lifting her paw and reaching out to him.

Dingo pulled away suddenly.

"Dingo, I know this is hard, it's hard for me too but please don't cry. Please"

Dingo turned his head away. He knew he's break down at any moment and he didn't want to do it in front of Aniu. It would only make things worse on her.

Before he could realise what he was doing, his legs ran away with him. The next thing he knew, he was sprinting down the hillside and towards the town. He heard Aniu call after him several times, but he didn't look back.

"I'm sorry" he whimpered aloud, even though she was out of ear shot.

Dingo reached the house. His muscles ached, his cheeks were burning and his eyes were stinging. He ran inside and up the stairs and into the attic.

Jet knew something was wrong as soon as Dingo came back. He watched as the young pup came running into the attic and fell into Jet's embrace.

"She's gone!" Dingo cried, the tears finally pouring down his face. His eyes wear red and puffy.

"She's gone" he repeated, burying his face in Jet's black fur. Jet couldn't get another sentence out of him after that, he just get muffling those same two words over and over. The young pups body quaked, as he continued to sob. Jet rubbed Dingo's back soothingly and lifted his head and stared out of the attic window.

On the edge of the woods was a white shape. He'd never met the 'wolf girl' before but some how he knew it was her. He stared directly at her and he knew she was staring directly at him.

He watched as the white wolf slowly backed away into the woods and allowed herself to be consumed by the shadows.

* * *

**Dem feels. This is probably the longest chapter so far so... HOORAY! And that's more like, a couple of days since the last update and not a month or more. Things are looking up.**

**Hope you enjoyed it. And sorry if I made you a little sad. **


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